The Elevator
by savsterina
Summary: Just 24 hours ago Harry Potter would never have entertained the idea of stepping onto a hospital elevator with his cousin Dudley, both of their young children in tow. His key mistake was letting Ginny answer their dusty, muggle house phone. By the time it registered who Ginny was talking to, and more importantly what she was agreeing to, it was too late.


AN: This was written for r/fanfiction's September writing prompt. The prompt: 2 or more characters are in an elevator. I've thought a lot about Harry and Dudley in their later years since the series ended and they jumped out at me right away. This is the first thing I've written in a very long time, so please give me your honest feedback. I definitely felt like I was shaking off some cobwebs while writing this, but it feels good to be back in the game. Thanks for reading!

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 _Ding._

Metal doors slid open and Harry Potter contemplated the life choices that had led him to this moment. Just 24 hours ago he would never have entertained the idea of stepping onto a hospital elevator with his cousin Dudley, both of their young children in tow.

His key mistake was letting Ginny answer their dusty, muggle house phone. Only the Dursleys called that phone, as they never did get the hang of owl post. Harry had been preoccupied with helping his son James fling chess pieces across the living room. At five, James was beginning to show his first real signs of magic, and after accidentally launching Harry's entire chess set across the room it was too much fun not to try and do it again.

By the time it registered who Ginny was talking to, and more importantly what she was agreeing to, it was too late.

 _Oh hello Dudley, so good to hear from you. It's been too long. Yes, now is a good time._

Ginny had a strange affinity for Dudley. She met him long after his demeanor mellowed and took an almost mothering tone when she talked to him. She said his poorly hidden fear of magic was adorable; that whenever he came round he was like a niffler that knows its snout is about to get swatted for digging up the kitchen floor. Harry had to remind her that they were not going to adopt a niffler.

A soft gasp _. I am so sorry to hear that. Is he going to be alright?_ A sympathetic murmur. _Of course we'll come. The man raised Harry after all. Thank you for thinking of us._

It was around this time Harry realized he was being volunteered for something. Something involving his entirely unpleasant uncle. Unease began to settle in.

 _Tomorrow? Mhm. That should be fine, as long as we can bring James along._

 _Yes, we do still live in London. We're pretty near the hospital actually. You might as well just pick us up. Oh, shoot- I have a match tomorrow so I can't come._

 _Yes, I still play. It's called Quidditch._

 _No Quidditch. 'Qu' like quilt._

 _No Quid-ditch- Nevermind, yes it's the one with the brooms._

When Harry skidded into the kitchen, fun and games abandoned, he was shaking his head, waving his arms with gusto, and mouthing, "NO." Ginny, just as exaggerated, nodded her head and mouthed, "YES."

And then it was over. Addresses were communicated, times were nailed down, and Harry and James were officially scheduled to visit Vernon Dursley in the hospital.

 _Great, we'll see you and little Olivia tomorrow._

Now Harry, Dudley, James, and Dudley's daughter Olivia were all stepping onto an elevator together. The men had already exhausted all of their conversation topics in the car: work, the weather, and "Isn't it funny how well our kids get along?" Without their wives there to provide a buffer they lapsed into an awkward but not unfriendly silence. The bad blood between them may have settled, but Harry still didn't know how to navigate a relationship with his cousin that wasn't built on avoiding a beating.

James marveled once inside the elevator, oblivious to the awkwardness occurring mere feet above his head. The boy knew the basic purpose of an elevator, but had only been in the one that led to the ministry. An old phone booth could not compare to a small, mirrored room with an entire wall of buttons. Harry lifted him up so he could press 20, and the boy gasped when the button lit up.

"Press another one!" Olivia urged as the elevator began to move. She was five like James, and it seemed she was just as mischievous.

"James, no-" But it was too late. James giggled and pressed his open hand onto the buttons. As soon as he made contact, the entire wall lit up.

"Cool," Olivia approved.

"That was cause I'm a wizard," James bragged.

Harry sighed and set James down. So much for a quick elevator ride. Dudley watched them with apprehension while Olivia begged James to do more magic. As the elevator began its ascent, stopping to open its doors at each floor, Harry wondered if he was being punished for something.

Harry made a stab at small talk. "I'm really sorry to hear about Vernon. Ginny said it was a heart attack? Kind of out of the blue?"

Dudley nodded without taking his eyes off of the kids. James was trying to turn Olivia into a cat without success. "It was sudden but not completely unexpected. Dad never really took great care of himself, and he's been having some health troubles lately."

"He always has been a bit of a porker," James offered.

A stunned silence followed James' proclamation. Harry tried to reprimand his son several times but each attempt resulted in a sort of choking noise instead of words. After the elevator doors opened and closed one more time, Harry regained his composure enough to scold, "James! That is not a nice thing to say. Apologize to Uncle Dudley right now."

"But da-ad," James argued, "that's what you told mom!"

Harry opened his mouth, then closed it again. He became very interested in clearing out his suddenly dry throat. He was seriously considering grabbing James and disapparating when a barking laugh broke from Dudley.

"It's fine, Harry," Dudley said through his chuckles. "I don't really expect you to talk fondly about dad. Besides, you're not wrong."

Harry laughed, more out of relief than humor, and replied, "You never know what kids are going to repeat, right? Maybe we should take the stairs the rest of the way, before my foot gets completely stuck in my mouth."

Dudley nodded, smiling. At least one of them felt more at ease. "Stairs it is."

Rather, stairs it would have been, if even a shred of luck was with Harry that day. Instead of opening its doors, the elevator shuddered to a halt between floors ten and eleven.

"Are we stuck, daddy?" Olivia tugged on Dudley's pant leg. Her little brows creased with worry.

"Cool, we're stuck!" James clapped his hands together happily. Olivia let out a small whimper in response. Harry made a mental note to explain the meaning of "reading the room" to James when they got home.

"Don't worry, this kind of thing happens all the time," Dudley assured, ruffling Olivia's hair. "We'll just press the call button and someone will come get us."

Harry pulled his wand out of its place in his back pocket and readied it. "I think I can get us going a bit quicker."

As soon as the wand was in view, Dudley paled. "No, you don't have to go to the trouble."

It took all of Harry's willpower not to roll his eyes. He lowered his wand and conjured Ginny into his mind. _People are scared of what they don't understand_ , she always told him. _He's trying to overcome years of living in a house prejudiced against magic. He's trying, so cut him some slack._

In what he hoped wasn't a condescending voice, Harry said, "It really isn't any trouble. Magic is very safe."

Dudley nodded. "I know," he said in a voice that suggested he didn't know, "but I would rather we didn't use magic."

 _He's trying, so cut him some slack_. Fine. At least he didn't call magic "The M-Word." The wand went back into Harry's pocket and Dudley visibly relaxed. He knelt down to comfort Olivia, whose eyes had welled up with tears.

James, on the other hand, was still having the time of his life, and had begun jumping up and down. With every jump, the elevator trembled, causing Olivia to gasp each time. Harry put a hand on James' head to calm him and said, "It's time to settle down." James groaned, but was still.

"Alright, we'll do it the muggle- I mean non-magic way." Harry looked at the wall of buttons and muttered, "We just have to find the call button."

"I see it!" James leapt toward the buttons.

"James, not that one!" James punched the large button with a red bell on it, and a shrill ringing pierced the elevator. Harry clapped his hands over his ears, and his son did the same.

"Sorry!" James yelled over the ringing.

Olivia had reached her breaking point. Fat tears rolled down her cheeks, and she buried her face in her father's shoulder. "I don't want to be stuck, Daddy!" she wailed. "Go, elevator! Go, go, go!"

Silence fell over the elevator. It lurched back to life. Dudley and Harry locked eyes; Dudley's eyes searched Harry's, begging for answers. "Did you just…?"

Harry shook his head and then shrugged.

"Hey, I thought you were a muggle." James prodded Olivia's shoulder. She didn't respond, but did look up from Dudley's shoulder, eyes dry.

 _Ding_. The elevator opened onto the 20th floor, breaking the spell that had settled over the elevator. Dudley scooped up Olivia into his arms and stood up. His face had a mix of unease and confusion on it as he walked into the harsh fluorescent light of the hallway. He stared into Harry's eyes as he passed him, still begging for answers.

Harry simply shrugged again and and exited behind him. They stood just outside the elevator, allowing Dudley to put some distance between them.

Harry couldn't stop a small smile from creeping over his face. "Don't mention this to Uncle Vernon," he told James. "His heart is under enough stress as it is."

He took James' hand and they followed Dudley. Olivia's voice floated back to them from down the hall: "Did you see how I made that elevator move, Daddy? It was just like magic!"


End file.
